Bookmark



March 20, 1928.

6. AL. JACKSON BOOKMARK Filed Oct. 18, 1926 5 9%, QM r m Patented Mar.20, 1928a UNITED STATES GLENN L. JACKSON, or enrcaeo, rumors.

' BOOKMARK.

Application filed October 18, 1926'. Serial No. 142,345.

My invention relates to book marks, and more particularly to a device ofthis type which is simple, effective, easily used, and cheap tomanufacture, and has particular reference to certain improvements uponthe device which is described and claimed in my copending application,Serial No. 736,407, filed September 8, 1924.

Heretofore, as explained in my prior application, devices of the priorart have been of complicated design, having no means for placing orremoving them except some'protruding portion, and have been constructedof paper or thick metal, as to make them less practical and useful.

An object of my invention is to provide a book mark of improved designwhich overcomes the above objections, and has the advantageover the formshown in the prior application that it is more readily inserted upon orremoved from the leaf of a book. This is due to an improved form of foldin one of the legs of the device which presents a raised rib across theleg and with which the thumb or finger engages, in attempting to removethe mark from the leaf.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detaileddescription taken in connection'with the accompanying drawing, in which:I

Figure 1 is a top view of the completed device; 7

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same;

Figs. 3 to 8 are side views showing different modificationsof thedevice; and

Fig. 9 illustrates the manner in which the hand grips the fold torelieve the pressure between the legs when the device isremoved from orinserted upon the leaf of a book.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the book mark embodying myinvention comprises a strip of relatively thin, flexible, tenuousmaterial, such as metal, or other suitable resilient material. Bronzeand cop- )er compounds have been found to be metals having suitablecharacteristics, but I do not desire to be limited to the materialemployed. p

The device includes a strip 1 bent across in a straight line 6 so as toform two flatly opposed legs with the back leg 3 preferably longer thanthe front or index leg 2. Legs 2 and 3 may be resiliently, but lightly,pressed against each other, so that the book leaf may be easilyinserted, yet gripped by suflicient pressure to prevent: the book markfrom accidentally slipping off.

It is preferable that the legs 2 and 3 be brought so closely togetherthatpractically no space is left at the point designated 5, butin viewofthe fact that the material is thin and flexible, the legs 2 and 3quickly spread when the leaf of the book is inserted. Minimum separationof the legs adjacent to the edge 6 is provided for the purpose ofassuring that the book mark will be moved in wardly the full length uponthe leaf and that the maximum grippingetlect will be at the edge 6, orin close proximity thereto. The margin of the leaf will contact withedge 6 and be strengthened thereby at this place. This prevents the leaffrom being torn when the book is opened to locate the place marked bythe device, the leaf sometimes being gripped at the spot to turn theremaining leaves forwardly or backwardly, as the case may be;

The present invention resides primarily in providing means forfacilitating the removal or insertion of the book mark and comprises afold 7 provided in one of the legs, this fold being formed by doublingand pressing the material tightly whereby a rib is formed across theoutsideofthe leg to permit engagement by the thumb or finger. I find inthose forms where this fold is provided close to the edge 6 of the leafwhen the mark is in position on the leaf, the raising of the fold aswould occur in attempting to remove the book mark tends to relieve thegripping action of the two legs on the edge of the leaf and thus makesthe book mark more readily removable from the leaf. This'act-ion is morereadily understood when it is remembered that the outer fold tends tospread apart and thus relieve the pressure on the inner leg. That is tosay, the outer fold when gripped tends to carry with it the leg, againstwhich it lies, thereby spreading this leg apart from the opposite legand relieving the pressure.

It is apparent that the reverse action would be true in placing the bookmark on the leaf; that is, in holding it in the fingers, the naturaltendency would be to separate the fold from the leaf which tends to openthe legs to permit the device to be slipped to the full extent on theedge of the leaf, and when the fold is relieved, the fold tends tospring together and cause the legs more firmly to grip the leaf.

Different locations for the folds have been shown in the variousfigures." For instance, in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the fold extendsinwardly from the end 6 and may be located on either leg 2 or 3. InFigs. 3 and 4, the fold 7 is at a greater distance from the end 6 of thedevice, and also from the edge of the leaf when the device is placedthereon, thereby obtaining the additional advantage that it can besprung away from the leaf far enough to get the finger partwayunderneath and not merely the finger nail or thumb nail. In Figs. 5 and6, the fold 7 is formed on the legs 2 and 3 between their ends. In Figs.7 and 8, the fold extends both ways and either rib may be used inplacing the book mark on the leaf. lVhile the fold may be placed oneither leg, and even on both-although not shown in the A drawings, Ifind it very convenient to place the fold across the leg opposite theindicator, that is, across the leg 8, as it is handled by the finger asopposed to the thumb.

I have shown in Fig. 9 how the hand may grip the device in order for thefold to separate the legs 2 and 3 and relieve the pressure they exertupon the leaf 8. Any two fingers ofthehand may be employed, but for thepurposes of illustration, the thumb 9 is shown resting against the edgewhile the index finger grips the fold 7 to raise it and the leg 2. Thenail of the index finger may be brought over the rib, because thematerial is thin and very flexible and will yield to a slight force. Dueto this flexibility, the leg 2 readily follows the fold 7 and separatesfrom the leaf, thereby permitting the device to be more readily slippedfrom the edge of the leaf.

My invention is exceedingly simple in character, but I have found thatconsiderable advantages are obtained thereby. It permits a book mark tobe used which avoids all undesirable projections from the margin of theleaf. A thin edge only contacts with and lies without theleafywhieh-edge provides a neat appearance, holds the device on ment orremoval by relieving the pressure between legs when the fold is engagedby the finger or thumb.

Various arrangements and modifications of the various features may behad. without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A book mark adaptedto be slipped over the edge of a leaf of a bookcomprising a strip of relatively thin, tenuous, flexible materialsharply bent across between its extremities in a straight line to formtwo flatly opposed legs to embrace the leaf, and a portion of said stripdoubled and flattened to provide means for attaching and releasing saidbook mark from the margin-of a page.

2. A book mark comprising a strip of relatively thin, tenuousflexible-material bent between its extremities in a straight line toform two flatly opposed legs, and a portion intermediate the ends ofsaid legs doubled and flattened in such. a manner that three sections ofa leg are parallel and in close proximity, thus forming a slightlyprojecting rib to provide means for attaching and releasing said bookmark from the margin of a page.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GLENN L. JACKSON.

